Rocks in the Box
by AnnikaMalfoy
Summary: Part 5 of Without You Series. Five years after the disappearance of their good friend, Melanie, the Circle endures another loss. When a mysterious, yet familiar stranger shows up to Laura's funeral, it rocks the already tense emotions of the Circle. Who is Melissa Ann Cullen? And why does everyone feel an indescribable pull towards her?
1. Prologue

**A/N: So I wasn't getting much response from the summary alone, so I'm going to write a small prologue to see if that helps people decide if they want to see more or not. The poll will be up on my profile until Friday, August 9. So please vote and let me know if you want to see more of this or not. **

**MELISSA (MELANIE)**

I stood there staring at the boy who would've been my soul mate if it weren't for the vampire bastards who took him and my other friends away from me. His eyes were full of hurt, sadness, love, and anger; anger being the most present. His mouth was hanging open as he stared at me.

"It's really you, isn't it?" He whispered, stepping closer to me with his arm outstretched. Dad, who had been silently standing behind me next to mom, growled at him. You could cut the tension in the room with a knife.

I swallowed hard. We had been caught. There was no use denying it.

"Yes, Andy, it's really me." I responded letting him run his hand over my cheek.

"Where have been? We thought you were dead?" He said.

"It was better that way."

He pulled his hand away from my face and the anger blazed like fire in his eyes.

"Better for whom?" He snapped. "Certainly not me, or the rest of our friends. We've been through hell over the last five years, and you've been living it up in Alaska with your new "family." I can see where that would be better for you, but what about the people that loved you."

"I…I…" I wanted so badly to say something. He deserved some kind of explanation, but I didn't know what to tell him. If I said too much, I would've hurt my family, and they meant as much to me as the Circle did. I didn't want to hurt either one.

"No, Mel." He said, holding his hands up. "I don't want to hear your pathetic attempts to explain. In fact, I don't want to hear anything you have to say anymore."

With that he walked out the door, and I finally realized why Dad though coming here was a bad idea.


	2. Memorial

**A/N: The response that I received for this idea wasn't overwhelming, but it was enough that I want to move forward with it. I am not completely positive where things are going, but I figure, if I start writing something will come to me. Anyway, let's get started and see what happens. **

**The story begins on the fifth anniversary of Melanie Callahan's disappearance from Seattle, Washington.**

**CASSIE**

"Mom!" I called, pulling on my jacket. "I'm headed out."

I shut my bedroom door and walked the short distance to the kitchen where my mother stood making dinner.

I hated the tiny apartment we had to move into after my father's death five years ago. Unfortunately, without his income, it was all my mom could afford, and she had to get a second job just to do that. I offered to help all the time, but she wanted me to save the money I made at the local convenience store for college. It killed her that she wouldn't be able to send me like she and dad had always planned.

I didn't have the heart to tell her that I wasn't planning to go to college, though. It was too risky a move, and it wasn't like I would be able to get a permanent job anyway. That was the curse of our family. I never knew when I was going to be called back to Forks to do my duty.

I was the alpha of a small pack of werewolves from the Quileute tribe. My father was supposed to be the alpha of his generation, but he gave the position to my Uncle Sam. Now, he and my other uncles were busy building another pack. One I would be the leader of. In the last five years, Sam and his wife, Emily, had had two. My Uncle Jared and his wife, Kim, had three. And my Uncle Paul and his wife, my Aunt Rachel, had twins and another one on the way.

It would be years down the road before they made the change and only be if they were exposed to vampires, which could be never. Still, I didn't want college or a job to get in the way of my duty to my people. My father didn't allow anything to get in the way of his duty, and I wouldn't either. I would die doing my duty to the human race, just as my father had. I was sure my mom would have a hard time understanding that.

My mom, Alyssa Black, was standing over the sink washing the dishes from out recent dinner. Her long black hair was pulled back into a messy bun. She was wearing a pair of grey sweatpants and pink camisole. Today was Wednesday; the one day a week she took off both jobs so she and I could spend some time together. She would always make dinner, and we would talk. She didn't want Dad's death to tear the two of us apart.

"Where are you going?" She asked, raising her eyebrow at me.

"I'm meeting the Circle at the park." I said with a shrug. "For the yearly memorial."

I swallowed the lump in my throat trying not to think about how I had been lying to my friends for the last five years. I didn't want to think about how I was going to have to spend an hour or so trying to convince them that my best friend, Melanie, was still alive without being able to tell them how I knew.

Melanie Callahan was kidnapped by a group of cruel, disgusting vampires exactly five years ago today. She was taken to Italy and offered the chance to become a vampire. When she turned them down, she was raped and tortured. Her biological mother, Bella Swan, who just happened to be my dad's best friend, was able to find her and lead us into a fight that destroyed all those horrible vampires, but took some of those we loved from us—my dad, and Uncles, Quil and Embry, and a few of Melanie's new family members.

It was decided that it would be too dangerous for Melanie to return here. It would've raised too many questions that she would've been unable to answer. That's why she moved in with her vampire family, changed her look, and her name. Her disappearance became a cold case that would never be solved.

The Circle, our group of friends, had a memorial for her on this day every year. Our friends, Andy and Denise, would sneak a bottle of whiskey from their mother's liquor cabinet and we would all have a drink or two in memory of our lost friend.

I hated lying to them about her, but I didn't know what else to do. If I revealed the truth of vampires, it wouldn't be long before the world found out about werewolves too. We would all end up under a microscope. It was for the greater good of two races, but it still hurt, a lot.

"That's right." Mom nodded.

I was pretty sure she tried very hard to block this day out every year. It was so much harder for her than me. Not only was this the day Melanie, who she considered a second daughter, was kidnapped by vampires it was also the night of my first transformation. In her eyes, it was the day I lost my innocence, and I could tell it killed her to think about it. "I won't wait up for you, then." She sighed, pulling me into a hug. Despite her discomfort, she knew how difficult this night was for me, and tried to be as supportive as possible. "Just be safe and try not to have too much, okay?"

"Yes, Mom." I chuckled. I was sure all our parents knew that we got a little drunk on this particular night. Most of my friends' parents didn't give a damn about what their children did, but the parents who cared, just let them get away with it. The park was within walking distance of all our houses, and none of us were stupid enough to attract attention to ourselves.

I released her and walked out the door working hard to drop into the role of a girl whose best friend disappeared without a trace five years ago, even though I would be calling her later that night. It was easy considering the many years I spent acting. And I suppose, in a way I really did lose my best friend that day.

I knew she was alive, but it wasn't the same as her being right there with me all the time like she was before. I talked to her a couple times a week, and the Cullens flew me out to wherever they were at the time once every few months, but I would've rather had her with me every day. I guess it was better than the alternatives. She could be dead, like my dad.

I shook my head and swiped at the tears in my eyes. I didn't like to make this particular point of the evening about me. Yes, my father had "disappeared" only a few days after Melanie, but this was about Melanie, not me. My mother and I would have our own memorial for him when the time came. Still, I couldn't quite get rid of the sadness and resentment this day drudged up. I knew it wasn't Melanie's fault, but sometimes I couldn't help but think: if it hadn't been for those stupid vampires' attraction to her, I would still have my father.

I suppose if it wasn't Melanie, it would've been another human he died trying to save. It was just really difficult think about my father's death in correlation with Melanie's kidnapping. I didn't want to hate my best friend for something that she had no control over, but it was hard not to some times, especially around this time every year.

I stepped out the door of our apartment complex to see my boyfriend of five years, Nathan Hale, walking towards the door. I supposed boyfriend was too mild a word for what Nathan was to me. I had imprinted on him, which pretty much meant that he was my soul mate.

It was a weird, mystical werewolf kind sort of thing. Nathan and I had been friends since the first grade when Melanie and I discovered that he had an abusive father. We had accepted him as the third to our dynamic duo. We took care of each other, especially Nathan. We would lend him our couches when he needed to get away and he would help us with our problems as well. He was like a brother to both of us, up until five years.

He was the first friend I saw after I returned from my rescue mission in Italy. In fact, he was the first friend I saw since my first transformation, and that was all it took. Our eyes met and bam. We've been inseparable ever since. He was the only one who knew the truth about me, and what happened to my father and Melanie.

Sam says it is because there are no secrets between soul mates. He also says that we don't have to worry about Nathan telling anyone about me. The feelings created by the imprint keeps him from doing anything that would hurt me. Just as I would never do anything to intentionally hurt him.

Nathan's blonde hair was slicked back to reveal his beautiful baby blue eyes. It was something he had only recently started doing. He used to have to wear it so it covered any black eyes that he had received from his father. Nathan moved out when he turned 18 and never looked back. He was wearing his usual blue jeans with a black leather jacket. His whole face lit up the second he saw me, as did mine.

Five years later, I still got that giddy feeling deep inside whenever I saw him. In fact, I held my arms out and ran at him. I needed him more today than he would ever know.

Hey you." He whispered as I hurled into him with a force that made him stagger. He wrapped his arms tightly around me running a hand through my hair. "I got the feeling that you wouldn't want to make this walk by yourself. So I thought we could walk together."

"You know me so well." I told him. "It's been a difficult day."

"I can imagine." He answered, pulling away and slipping his hand into mine. "Have you talked to her yet today?"

"No." I answered with a shake of my head. "I tried calling this morning, but Edward said she was out shopping with Roxanne, Bella, and Alice. I'll try again when we get home."

"That'll be good for both of you." Nathan said as we headed toward the park. "Tell her I said hi."

"I will." I answered. "You know, they are visiting some friends in Alaska next month, and Esme invited me to join them for a week or so. Would you want to come with me? I know Melanie is dying to see you again."

"I'll have to see if I can get some time off at the theater." He answered. "I would really like to see her again too, especially with short hair. I didn't think she would ever get it get."

"Believe me," I said, chuckling. "If it was up to her it wouldn't have happened. She told me that she cried when Alice did it. She even got the long braid packed in a special box somewhere."

"That sounds like our Mel." He laughed. "God, I miss her."

"I know." I sighed. "It's not the same anymore. I feel like there is a hole in my life where she used to be."

"I feel the same way. I wish there was a way she could come back. I mean, I know it's dangerous and everything, but…"

"I know, Nate, I know." I sighed, wrapping my arms around him and laying my head on his chest. He responded by wrapping an arm around my waist and kissing the top of my head. We had become experts at walking curled up like that.

Despite the gloominess of our conversation, I had to admit that I felt much better than I had all day. It was nice to have a friend that I didn't have to lie to about all of this; someone who could hold me and tell me they understood what I was going through. I didn't have to hide anything about my secret life with Nathan and that alone made it everything so much easier to deal with.

"How's your mom?" He asked after a few minutes.

"Some as always this time of year." I shrugged. "She's either trying to forget or crying her eyes out because she can't. Her and Dad were imprinted, so it was like she lost a part of herself. I can kind of understand where she is coming from, now that I have you. If I ever lost you, Nate, it would shatter my world. I know that is exactly how Mom must be feeling every day. I wish there was something I could do to help her."

"Has she considered dating? I'm sure your Dad wouldn't begrudge her that." Nate suggested.

"It doesn't work like that when you've imprinted or been imprinted on. You are the only one for me, Nate just like I'm the only one for you. It is the same for my parents. She could date again, if she wants to, but it would be impossible to find anything that comes close to the deep connection of the imprint. As much as I hate to say it, she's better off staying single."

"I can understand that." Nathan answered. "I don't think I could ever move on if anything happened to you. I love you."

"I love you, too."

We walked the rest of the way to the park in silence, which was what I loved most about the imprint. I didn't want to talk anymore, and Nathan understood that without me having to say a word. He just held me close humming to himself as we walked.

We arrived at the park to find that everyone, except Laura had arrived. Seven of my best friends in the whole world sat in a circle on a beautifully embroidered red and black quilt. There were four spaces left empty. Mine, Nathan's, and Laura's because we hadn't yet taken them, but Melanie's was left open as a sort of way to remember her.

"What did you two stop to make out on the way or something?" Cameron Douglas asked from his spot beside Nathan's. Cameron had curly brown hair and a bit of a weight problem. He had a pretty difficult child that only ended five years ago when he was finally adopted. Now he was the biggest joker of the group. He and Nathan had been best friends since Cameron's arrival.

"So what if we did?" Nathan asked with a smirk. "Cassie the leader, so you can't start without us, anyway; we could take as long as we wanted."

"Yes, well, some of us aren't lucky enough to be on our own." Cameron teased back. "I have a curfew."

"Please Cam, you haven't had a curfew since you turned eighteen." Nathan kissed me on the head and went to continue his teasing conversation with Cameron.

"Where's Laura?" I asked taking my spot next to her best friend, Diane.

Diane was a beautiful nineteen year-old freshman in college. Her long blonde hair was pulled back into French braid that veered off to the side halfway through. Her super skinny body was covered with a pair of jeans, a tank top, and a jean jacket. She had a stupid stepmother who was constantly telling her how fat and angry she was. Diane suffered from anorexia because of it. She has gotten better at controlling it in the last five years, but it was a struggle.

"She said something came up, and she couldn't make it." Diane said, giving me a quick hug. "She wouldn't say what, but she assured me that it was nothing to worry about."

"You don't think Mike found her, do you?" I questioned, glancing toward her empty space and feeling my heart clench.

Laura's stepfather, Micheal Mickens, had been sexual abusing her since she was ten, but nobody believed her. Mike was an upstanding citizen. He was a volunteer firefighter and did a lot of community service. No one believed a man who was that sweet in public would hurt an innocent little girl. When Laura turned 18, she, like Nathan, moved out. She didn't tell anyone, except Diane where she had moved to, so there was no way Mike could find out. She even got a job at a hardware store in Forks to keep Mike from discovering where she worked.

He had been searching for her since the day she moved out. Diane had to get a restraining order to keep him away from asking her about Laura's whereabouts.

"I don't think so." Diane answered. "She didn't sound as panicked and upset as she did whenever he was around. I think I'm going to stop by and check on her when we are done here, though. Just in case."

"Good idea." I answered, putting a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sure it's fine."

Diane just nodded. "Shall we get started?"

"Not yet. We need to discuss the Rocks." Andy Widmer said from across the circle.

Sitting in front of him was a box wrapped in a dirty cloth; inside the box were twelve rocks. Each rock was decorated by the owner of the rock and each one was owned by a member of the circle. It was something Melanie and I started after my grandfather, Billy Black, died. We were twelve, and Melanie went to the funeral with me.

We decided it would be nice for the circle to have a sort of funeral service for a fallen member, and we used rocks to represent every member. We put them in a box and buried them in the woods just behind the park. The plan was to bury the rocks and have a funeral service every time we lost a member of the circle. We never expected to have to go through with it, though.

Andy, who had been Melanie's boyfriend, before her kidnapping had spent the last two years trying to convince us it was time to bury Melanie's rock. I knew she wasn't dead and refused to allow my friends to treat her like she was. As far as thye knew, she was still simply missing.

"It's time." He said sweeping his hand through his barely there hair. His hazel eyes were shining with tears as he looked at me pleadingly. He didn't want to believe she was dead, but as every year went by it was getting harder for him to hold on to her.

"No." I shook my head. "She's not dead, and I refuse to treat her like that." Tears were welling in my eyes as I said those words. I hated having to tell them she was alive, but not being able to tell them how I knew."

"Maybe she is, but maybe she's not." His twin sister, Denise, said. "We don't know, but it doesn't look like she's coming back. It's time to let her go."

She said the words with a shaking voice. She hated the idea of doing this as much as I did, but it was important to her. She wanted to be able to let go, they all did, but I couldn't allow them to let go of someone who couldn't let go of them.

I straightened myself to trying to look like the strong leader of this group I had to become after Melanie's kidnapping. I also allowed my breathing to slow and kept a clamp on my temper. It wouldn't good if I transformed and killed all of my friends because I was upset about what they wanted.

Denise continued staring at me with her hazel eyes while she twirled her long black hair around a finger.

"I can't, guys. I'm sorry. I'm just not ready to give up on her, yet." I said as calmly as possible.

"It's not about giving up on her, Cas." Phoebe said from the other side of Diane. Her curly red hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and she was wearing your typical biker getup. She wasn't really a biker; she was a rebel. And the biker getup was the best looking rebel look she's discovered. "It's about putting to rest something terrible and moving on. We need it. You need it."

I took another deep breath trying to control my anger. How dare she tell me what I need? Melanie is my best friend, and I knew she wasn't dead. I didn't need to move on from anything.

"I said no." I practically growled, trying to keep control of my shape. Damn it! I really hated this conversation. I had gotten so good at holding myself together and controlling the best within, but this conversation about Melanie always set me off. If they didn't stop argue with me soon, I was going to do something I regretted.

"Guys, now is not the time to discuss, this." Nathan said, mercifully. "We are here to remember Melanie. We will discuss burying her rock, and having a service another time. And that's the end of the conversation."

Andy opened his mother to argue.

"Andy, just let it go." Nathan cut him off. "We need to get a move on with this so everyone can get home. We will talk about the rocks later."

"Fine." Andy said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Thank you, Nathan." I said with a little too much feeling. I took a couple more breaths before holding my hands out to either side of me.

Diane took my left one, and my right one just hung in midair because Melanie should've taken it then. The other's followed my lead and joined hands.

"To whom it may concern," I said in voice that carried through the circle. I knew it was a weird way to start things, but not everyone in the circle believed in God or even a higher power, so it seemed like the best way to satisfy everyone. I had been beginning this memorial like this every year. "We are here to remember our good friend, Melanie Callahan. She's the kindest, most beautiful, caring person we've ever met, and she was snatched from us too soon five years again. We are here to remember her and ask whoever might be listening to keep her safe and alive wherever she is. We also ask that she be returned to us someday. Please, don't allow a light as beautiful as hers to be snuffed out too soon. Thank you."

When I finished the speech, we released hands and Diane handed me the bottle of whiskey Andy and Denise had nicked.

"I've known Melanie since kindergarten." I said. "The day we met, she was sitting in the corner of the cafeteria, quietly eating her food when some jerk walked up and snatched her candy bar right off her tray." I stopped for a moment and swallowed hard. It was so hard talking about her like this when I knew she was only a phone call away. "And she just let him do it. Well, as you guys know, I don't like to let jerks get away with being jerks. I tackled the kid to the ground , gave him two black eyes, and managed to had Mel back her candy bar before they marched me to the office and suspended me for three days."

I chuckled a little at the memory before I unscrewed the top of the bottle and took a swig. The alcohol burned going down my throat, but it was a nice burn. It helped to dislodge the lump in my throat. I passed the bottle to Diane who launched into a story about the week Melanie pretended to be Diane's girlfriend just to convince Jonathon Taylor that Diane really was a lesbian (which she is). It was that that convinced Jonathon to stop hitting on Diane. Melanie got crap for it for a while, but she didn't care. She helped her friend, and that is what mattered.

Diane took a drink and passed the bottle to Phoebe who launched into a story of her own. The bottle went around the entire circle as everyone shared their memories and special moments with Melanie and had a drink in her honor.

When the bottle made it back me, there was enough left for one more, so I knelt in front of the space where Melanie should've been and dumped the rest in the grass. It was supposed to be symbolic of her drinking, but I'm not sure if it came off that way.

When we finished, I helped Diane fold up the quilt and watched as Andy and Nathan reburied the box of rocks. As they did this, I found myself wondering if maybe it was time to stop hoping Melanie Rose Callahan would return, and accept the fact that Melissa Ann Cullen had replaced her.

**A/N: What do you guys think? Should I keep going? Please review and let me know. **


	3. On My Way to Hell

**CASSIE**

"Do you want Nathan and me to go with you to check on Laura?" I asked Diane as we were leaving the park.

I knew Laura didn't want anyone except Diane to know where she lived, but now that the memorial was over, I was starting to get a bad feeling about her absence. If there was something dangerous going on, I didn't want Diane walking in on it alone. At least, I would have a chance at defending myself. True, it would expose werewolves, but if it came down to exposure and protecting my friends, I would protect my friends every time. They would do the same thing for me.

Diane sighed. "She would be really upset for bringing someone over, but I have a really bad feeling about this, and I really don't want to go by myself." She said.

"Then Nathan and I will go with you." Sydney Karlson said, pulling her black hair into a low ponytail. "It's not like her to miss these things, especially Melanie's memorial."

"No." Diane shook her head. "She would kill me if I brought all of you. Mike is still looking for her. The restraining order is keeping him away from me for now, but she would never forgive me if I gave him a reason to go after all of you. Cassie and Nathan can come. The rest of you should go home and get some sleep. We will call you later to let you know what's going on."

"Okay." Sydney shrugged, hugging Diane. "Tell her that we are all here for her if she needs anything."

"She knows." Diane answered. "She just doesn't want any of you to get hurt because of her worthless stepfather."

"I'd like a reason to put that good for nothing asshole in the hospital." Derrick said cracking his knuckles.

I did my best to keep from chuckling as he said this. Everyone in our group knew that Derrick McLoughlin didn't have it in him to hurt anyone no matter what they've done to the people he loved. He liked to play the tough guy who would put someone into the hospital if they pissed him off, but his friends knew that he wasn't like that. We had learned not to call him out on it.

"That piece of sit isn't worth going to jail over." Steven said quietly following the group toward the gate of the park. "Laura knows this, and she doesn't want to see us behind bars because of him any more than she wants to see us in the hospital because of him."

Steven Christianson was a man of few words, but when he had something to say, he said it. This was definitely one of those times.

"Steve's right." I said. "He's not worth it, so everyone just go home, and we will let you know what's going on later."

There was a great deal of hugging as we exited the park. We had been friends for so long and gone through so much together, that seeing each other without hugging everyone at least once was not an option.

As Nathan, Diane, and I headed in the opposite direction of everyone else, I pulled out my phone and hit the number one speed dial. Nathan, who was walking between Diane and I, put one arm around each of our waists as I put the phone to my ear and let it ring.

"Cassie, is everything alright?" My mom asked sounding a little panicked. The events of five years ago made it difficult for her not to panic when I wasn't with her. She worried that vampires were going to come for me because of the part I played in the destruction of the Volturi all those years ago.

"Yes, Mom, everything is fine." I said, trying not to sound annoyed. I really couldn't be upset about her reaction after losing my father. Sometimes, I worried about the exact same thing. The Volturi had been the vampire's ruling body, and there had to be someone out there who was unhappy with their deaths. "I just wanted to let you know that I am going to be a little later than usual, tonight. Laura didn't show up, so Nathan, Diane, and I are going to check on her. I will be home after that."

"That's fine. Just be careful, okay?" She answered.

"We will be. I love you, Mom."

"Love you too, baby."

I hung up the phone and snuggled myself against Nathan's body.

"So how far away does she live?" I asked.

I didn't mind a long walk, but being out at night still made me a little uncomfortable. Vampires could attack at any time of the day, but it was easier at night—not as many witnesses. I didn't like the idea of my friends being exposed to them like this, especially Nathan. If I lost him, I would be completely lost.

"Not far actually." Diane said. "She actually took Pippin and Merry's advice."

The circle was one great big group of nerds. We read and watched things like Lord of the Rings, Doctor Who, and Star Wars. In fact, the boys could tell you anything you wanted to know about Star Wars while the girls could probably put Steven Moffat to shame y rattling off details about episodes of Doctor Who that the writer didn't even know. We had all seen the Lord of the Rings movies to the point of memorization. Needless to say, it didn't take me long to figure out what advice Diane was referring to.

"The closer you are to danger, the further you are from harm." I replied with a smile.

"Yup." Diane laughed. "She lives in an apartment complex only a mile or so from her old house. She seems to think that Mike won't be smart enough to look that close."

"I hope she was right." I said as my stomach clenched. The feeling of dread I had been feeling since the end of the memorial was getting worse with every step I took. Something wasn't right, but I hadn't been able to figure out what that something was.

"I do too." Diane shivered. I wondered if she was feeling the same thing I was or if she was just cold.

"Are you cold?" Nathan, ever the gentleman, asked as he began sliding off his jacket.

"No, my bad feeling is just getting a whole lot worse." She said as another shiver passed through her body.

"My thoughts exactly. Why don't you try calling her?" I suggested, moving closer to Nathan once he slipped his jacket back on.

Diane pulled out her cell phone and dialed Laura's number before putting it to her ear. She held it there for a long time before pulling it away and hitting the end call button.

"She's not answering, and that's not like her." She slipped the phone back into her pocket. "She only ignores calls when she is at work, and Newton's closed," She looked down at her watch, "Nearly an hour ago. She would answer, even if she was still driving home. There's something wrong."

I swallowed hard. I had been thinking the same thing since the end of the memorial. My thoughts about Melanie and everything that happened five years ago had blocked my natural wolf instincts, but now that it was over, they were telling me there was something horribly wrong with Laura. I just didn't know what.

"Should we call someone?" Nathan asked. "Her mom? Or maybe the police?"

"No." Diane shook her head as we picked up our pace. "Her mother hasn't spoken to her since she called Mike out on what he did and left. She thinks that Laura's lying. I don't think she would care if Laura was in trouble anymore. And I don't want to get the police involved until I am absolutely sure there is something wrong."

I had to agree with her about the police thing. We didn't want to call them based on a feeling. We would be laughed at, and chastised if they showed up and there was nothing wrong. It didn't help that we had all three been drinking, no matter how little, illegally. We could end up locked up and accused of pulling a prank on the police. It was better we find out what was really going on first.

We were running by now trying to get to Laura's apartment as quickly as possible. If something had happened, we needed to find out as soon as possible and get the police there. I just hoped we weren't too late to do anything to save the situation.

Diane finally stopped outside an apartment complex with several different buildings with several apartments in each. We walked into the first one and I froze the second we stepped into the hallway.

"Cas, what's wrong?" Nathan asked, squeezing my shoulder.

The sickeningly sweet scent of vampire hit me the second we walked through the door, and I knew one had been here in the past few hours. I could only pray he hadn't gotten anywhere near Laura in his visit. The smell seemed to be coming from the door directly to our right.

I took a few deep breaths reminding myself that I needed to stay in control. The scent was old, which meant the vampire was long gone, so there was no threat. I had no reason to phase in front of my friend and other possible witnesses. I just needed to find out what happened and where it happened. I could inform Uncle Sam of the threat later.

"Diane, which one is it?" I asked slowly.

"101." She pointed to the door directly to our right. It was closed and nothing looked out of place, but I was terrified by what I'd find when I walked in.

I nodded. "I need you to do as I say without asking any questions. Can you do that?"

"Cassie, what's going on?" Diane asked noticing the trembling I tried to hide by clenching my fists.

"Just do as she says, Di." Nathan, picking up on what was going on, said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "It is better that way."

"But…" Diane argued.

"Diane, please, just stay out here with Nathan while I go into the apartment." I said cutting her off. "I will explain everything once I've found out what's going on."

"Are you sure you wanna go in alone?" Nathan asked.

"Yes." I said. "I just have a feeling we aren't going to like what we find."

That was partly true. If a vampire had attacked Laura, it was possible that the scene would be extremely gruesome, and Diane had a weak stomach. She couldn't even prick her finger without getting sick to her stomach. I needed to make sure the walls weren't blood spattered before I let her go in. She was already going to be hysterical when she saw what I knew was behind that door. I didn't want to make it worse by her being sick too.

Mostly though, I couldn't be sure if the vampire had really gone or was simply waiting for another victim to come and check on the first. I wouldn't let Diane or Nathan walk into a vampire attack. I would be sure that the vampire was gone before I let them get any closer to the apartment. I would figure out a way to explain my strange behavior to Diane later.

I walked slowly to the door, doing my best to control the beast inside me, while Diane clung to Nathan. He had wrapped his arms around her to help keep her from rushing into the room. This was my first encounter with a vampire attack in five years, so he hadn't ever been put into the position before. He was handling the job beautifully, though.

I gulped as I turned the handle and pushed the door open. It was unlocked, I hadn't expected anything less. The apartment opened into a small living room. There was a T.V. in the corner playing some random sitcom. The couch and armchair sat facing it, both were empty. There was a small kitchen to the right of the living room. Both rooms were completely spotless, which didn't surprise me. Laura was a huge neat freak.

I walked into the apartment and closed the door behind me. I didn't want the risk of Nathan and Diane getting in before I was sure everything was safe. I walked toward a closed a little further into the living room and opened it to find nothing but a spotless bathroom.

The smell of vampire had gotten strong as I made my way into the apartment. Perhaps it was still here, just waiting for its next meal. I wouldn't allow that meal to be another one of my friends. One more door, directly in across from the front door was closed. The smell seemed to be strongest in there, so I turned the handle and pushed it open.

I had to put a hand over my mouth to keep from screaming at the sight that met me. Laura was lying on the full sized bed that sat in the center of the perfectly clean room. She was pale and her eyes were wide with shock; her mouth opened in a silent scream.

There was no blood anywhere, except between her legs, and her dressed was ripped, leading me to believe that she had been raped. I gulped as I stepped closer. Her left arm was twisted at an odd angle. She had fought back, and whoever this vampire was had broken her arm, possibly more of her bones to get her to submit.

I channeled the anger I was feeling into sadness, to better control the beast that wanted to rip itself from my body as I noticed the tearstains on her face. Tears fell from my eyes, and I found myself wishing that Nathan could be in there with me. He needed to keep Diane calm and from walking into something potentially dangerous.

Closer examination of her body revealed a crescent shaped mark on her inner thigh. The monster had raped her then drained her blood as she cried. I swiped at the tears in my eyes trying to keep my anger in control. Why couldn't vampires just leave my friends alone?

A familiar scream caused me to jump a foot, and I turned to see Nathan standing in the doorway with Diane. Diane had been the one to scream and she had a hand clamp over her mouth. Nathan was holding onto her waist staring at Laura in utter disbelief.

He turned to me a question in his eyes.

"Yes." I mouthed and looked away. Tears were still spilling down my cheeks, and I didn't want him to see me like that. I was supposed to be the big bad wolf, after all. I shouldn't be falling apart.

I felt his arms wrap around me pulling me close to him. "Even the big bad wolf cries when he loses the people he loves." Nathan whispered as I wrapped my arms tightly around him.

I opened my eyes to see that Diane had dropped to her knees behind Nathan. She was sobbing uncontrollably.

"I know I shouldn't have brought her in until you gave the all clear, but I felt that you needed me. I couldn't ignore it." He whispered so only I would hear.

"It's alright." I told him before releasing him and going to her side.

I knelt beside Diane and wrapped my arms tightly around her.

"I'm so sorry." I kept whispering as I rocked her back and forth.

Nathan walked around the room taking in the rest of the scene. We both knew there was nothing to find, but Nathan felt better when he was actually doing something. He paused in front of the laptop that I hadn't noticed was on when I first entered the room.

He looked back at me after a moment with a startled expression. "You need to see this." He mouthed. The imprint told me that it was something Diane shouldn't have seen or even known about, so I nodded and pulled myself away from her.

"Nathan, take her out of the room." I said. "Call 9-1-1, then call Diane's mother, and mine. Tell them what's happened and to get here as soon as possible." I said as I walked toward the computer. "And tell Mom to call Uncle Sam. This might be a pack problem." I whispered as I walked past him.

He placed a hand on my shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. I didn't look back to see if he was doing as I asked. He knew how serious this was and wouldn't screw it up.

I walked over to the computer trying to mentally prepare myself for what I would see, but it didn't help. Wordpad had been open and there was a small paragraph typed on the first page.

Cassie Black,

I know what you are, and I know what your friend, Melanie, is. Bring her to me, or Laura won't be the only one of your friends to die this way.

Mike Mickens

I gulped unable to believe what I was reading. Mike was a vampire? No, he couldn't be. I had been over to Laura's house many times over the years, but I didn't start phasing until Melanie was taken. That means it was a recent development.

Sirens blared somewhere in the distance, and I shook away all the questions this development created. I would have to discuss everything with Sam and the others later. Right now, I had to protect my pack, my best friend, and her family. I quickly pulled a tissue out of the little pack that I always carried around with me, and closed word without saving the paragraph. Then I went into the living room for the police with Nathan and Diane.

**EDWARD**

"So how is she?" I asked Bella when she walked out of Mel's bedroom closing the door quietly behind her.

"About the same as she always is on this day." Bella answered. "Sad and angry that she can't go back, and scared that someone is going to try to take her away again. She was really jumpy at the mall today. Refused to leave my side all day, and I imagine the dreams will come later."

"And we will be there for her when they do." I assured her. "We will remind her that no one will ever hurt her like that again then I will sing her back to sleep, like I always do. We'll get her through the next couple of days the way we've been getting her through them for the last five years."

"I know." Bella sighed, laying her head on my chest as we made our way to the living room. "I just have a bad feeling that things are going to get crazy again really soon."

"What do you mean?" I asked, sitting on the couch beside Esme and pulling her onto my lap. We had been reunited for the last five years, and it still hadn't been enough to make up for the fifteen we had spent away from each other. I didn't think any amount of time would ever make up for the years we spent apart.

"I don't know." She answered, snuggling herself into my chest again. She clung to me just as tightly as I clung to her. Mel wasn't the only one who still had fears over being taken away. After our experience with the Volturi, we cherished every day with each other as if it would be our last. "Things have just been so quiet lately." She continued. "It's been five years since anything really bad has happened to us. I have a feeling something big is coming."

I wanted to tell her that she was just being silly, and she needed to stop worrying and just enjoy the happily ever after we all truly deserved, but I couldn't. Usually when Bella had a feeling about something, it was pretty spot on. It didn't help that Damon and Alice had been acting really weird lately.

Alice had refused to be within hearing distance of me for the last week or so, and Damon seemed more reserved than usual. He only talked to Roxanne, but she didn't seem to have any idea what was bothering him, either. No one else had taken notice of their strange behavior, but it really bothered me. The last time they kept things about the future from us, bad things happened. I didn't like it.

I had kept my fears to myself, though. I didn't want to alarm the others if it was nothing to worry about. I just wished one of them would talk to me. I needed to know what was going on, so I could be prepared for it.

I sighed. "Well, if something does happen, we will face it together like we always do. I will not let anyone hurt or destroy this family." I told her. "I love you and Mel more than anything, and I will not let either of you be taken from me ever again."

"I love you, too." She said, snuggling herself closer to me.

My phone vibrating in my pocket, and Bella shifted so I could pull it out. Mel's best friend, Cassie's, number was flashing on the phone. Weird. She called earlier today and I had told her to call back later. I didn't think she would wait this long, especially since she knew we were only an hour behind them.

It was one thirty in the morning in Seattle. Surely, she knew Mel would be in bed by now. I flipped the phone open and put it to my ear.

"Sorry, Cassie, she's sleeping right now." I said without even letting her speak. "Can you call back tomorrow?"

"I actually wanted to talk to you." Sam's voice answered. "We have a problem."

**A/N: What do you guys think? Is it getting juicy yet? I haven't gotten any reviews yet so I don't know if you like it or not. Please review and let me know what you are thinking so far. **


	4. I'll Meet You There

**A/N: I am so thrilled that everyone is liking this story. I was worried that people were going to think I was taking things too far. I hope you will continue to read and enjoy this story. The whole series will have a much better wrap up after I am finished with this one. I have a pretty good idea where I want to go with this story. I can't wait to finish it.**

**MELISSA (MELANIE)**

_Cold hands run over my naked body as I struggle against the shackles hold me in place on the metal table. Tears pour from my eyes as the hands continue to move lower and lower on my body. I beg for it to end; for the owners of the hands to just leave me alone. Cold laughter rings out through the dark room as the hands continue the journey down my body. _

"_Leave her alone." I hear a familiar voice growl. This is followed by a grunt and more cold laughter. The room is too dark; I can't see what is going on around me, but I know it isn't good. My only friend in the room is being kept from me. He's even being hurt trying to defend me. I can't let that happen. _

"_Stop hurting him!" I scream. "Do what you want to me, but leave him alone!" _

"_Very well." A cold voice says in my ear as someone's cock enters my virgin body. _

I sat straight up in bed trying to catch my breath. Sweat was pouring down my face and tears were in my eyes. It was amazing I had managed not to scream when I woke from the horrible nightmare.

I took a good long look around my room just to be sure it was truly a dream. Living with the Cullens over the last five years had been pretty amazing. My adoptive family hadn't been poor exactly, but they hadn't been rolling in the dough. They made enough to get buy and had to spend years saving for their second honeymoon. The Cullens, my biological family—for lack of a better term were probably the richest people I had ever met.

Anything I wanted, I got. If I wanted to go anywhere, all I had to do was say the word and we would be on a plane within 24 hours. I rarely wore anything twice, and I was voted best dressed of my senior class when I graduated the year before. Yes, I was spoiled by my mom, dad, aunts, uncles, and grandparents, but the money wasn't why I had chosen to stay with them.

They risked everything to save me from the horrible situation that I had just been dreaming about, and I loved them as much as I loved my adoptive vampire before they were murdered by vampires. The money was just a perk of being part of this family; as was having a huge bedroom in a huge house.

I could serious fit two of my old room into the room I had been staying in for the last five years, and two and a half of my old room in the one we shared with our cousins when we visited Alaska. For someone who was used barely being able to move in a tiny room, it was amazing to have so much space.

I had a king sized bed all to myself in both bedrooms, and several bookshelves with multiple copies of my favorite books lined the walls in both rooms. They were both painted in beautiful shades of pink and green—my favorite colors. I had a laptop in each of the houses, and countless other things that I would've never been able to afford with my adoptive family. It was a nice change.

Once I was positive I was truly awake, I lied back down and stared up at the ceiling trying to banish the thoughts of what happened five years ago. This next week was going to be a long and difficult one, and the nightmares were just the beginning.

On this evening, five years ago, I was kidnapped by a group of psycho vampires who wanted to turn me into one of them, and have me join their little group; a group with no regard for human life; one that selfishly used their gifts to get what they wanted through any means necessary. I didn't want to have anything to do with them, so I refused the offer.

In an attempt to persuade me, they kept me locked up like a prisoner and tried to beat and rape me into changing my mind. My father and forced member of this group, Edward Cullen, did his best to protect me during the couple of days I spent there, but his one voice alone wasn't enough to stop them. My Uncle Damon, also a guard member tried to help, but even with his help, Edward couldn't help me.

Two days after I was taken, the rest of my family, along with my best friend, Cassie Black, and her family—werewolves—came to my rescue. They even brought friends to help them fight and destroy the Volturi. They lost a lot of their friends, including my Aunt Rosalie and Uncle Emmett and Cassie's father and my biological mother's best friend, Jacob, in the process, but managed to kill every member of the group that hurt me.

I was unable to return to my home in Seattle, Washington without risking exposure to vampires, but my biological mother, Bella, and the rest of the Cullens, my family, took me in. I changed my name to Melissa Ann Cullen, and altered my appearance a bit.

Melanie Rose Callahan, the girl who disappeared from Seattle, Washington five years ago, was never found.

I've adjusted well to me new life as Melissa, but this week was always hard on me. There were so many memories that wouldn't leave me alone as well as the thoughts of what could've been if I had been able to stay in Seattle with my friends. The nightmares the memories brought were scary, but I was always to get through them with the help of my family.

The empty whole in my heart my Circle had once filled was another story. Nothing my family said could make me feel better about abandoning them. I knew it was best for everyone, and I was protecting them by not returning, but Cassie and I started the Circle, and we kept it together. I worried my disappearance would tear them apart.

Cassie, the only one who knew the truth, assured me the Circle was as strong as ever. They still met regularly and took care of each other the same way we always had. There's always drama, but that's normal, especially for a large group of friends like us. That news should make me happy, but it only hurt more. I wanted to be with them like I was before.

"Are you sure it was a vampire?" My father's voice floated up the stairs, pulling me out of my thoughts. There was a long pause that led me to believe that he was talking on the phone. "Okay." Dad said. "I need to discuss it with the others, and we will get back to you." Another long pause. "Yes, Sam, I understand the matter is time sensitive. We won't allow another one of Mel's friends to die."

I shot up out of bed again struggling to pull the blankets off myself this time. What did he mean he wouldn't allow another of my friends to die? Had something happened that Cassie didn't inform me about? And why would a vampire be interested in hurting one of my friends? All the vampires who had any connection with my family, or had known anything about me and my friends were dead. Why would one be targeting them? And why would Sam be expecting my family to do something about it? Vampire hunting was a werewolf's job. Why would he want us to do something about it?

All these questions ran through my mind as I ran down the stairs in my silky black boxer shorts and light pink camisole. My bare feet slapped the hardwood stairs as I raced down them. I had to find out everything. More importantly, I had to know who died, and why.

I reached the bottom of the stairs just as my dad was slipping his phone back into his pocket.

"What's going on?" I asked trying to catch my breath. "Who's dead?"

Three sets of butterscotch eyes turned to me in alarm. I knew they all knew the answer to my questions, but none of them seemed to want to answer them for me. They simply stared at me for a long moment with eyes full of sympathy and maybe even a little fear. I gulped knowing this wasn't going to be pretty.

Grandma Esme put on her kindest smile before finally saying,

"You're supposed to be sleeping."

"I had a nightmare." I said with a shrug. Nightmares for me, especially on this particular, were not an unusual thing. In fact, the fact that someone hadn't immediately run up the stairs the second I woke up meant the situation was worse than I thought. "I overheard Dad on the phone with Sam, and I wanna know what happened. Which one of my friends is dead?"

My voice shook as I spoke, but I did my best to hold it together. Cassie and I had quite a few friends we had anticipated losing over the years; friends with abusive, alcoholic parents who didn't give a damn about them. I know I had been secretly preparing for it all my life, but now that it was a reality, I was having a difficult time processing it. How could one of them be dead? We all just graduated from high school less than a year ago. We had our whole lives ahead of us. How could one of our lives be snuffed out already?

Esme took a deep, unnecessary breath and looked between my mom and dad. Mom and Dad seemed to be having a conversation in that silent way of theirs. Even after five years of living with them, it was hard not to marvel at the depth of their love. Mom's mind was the only mind Dad couldn't read, but he seemed to know her so well that mind reading wasn't necessary. They both just seemed to know what the other was thinking without even saying a word. I hoped I could one day find someone to share that kind of love with.

"I will go call the others and tell them we need to have a family meeting." Esme said, getting up and moving to the kitchen. In a house full of vampires, that was the closest thing to privacy that we would get.

"Sweetie, come sit with me." Mom said, patting the couch beside her.

I moved toward the couch on autopilot terrified of what she was going to say. Images of each of my friends in turn lying on in a puddle of blood or torn limb from limb flashed through my mind. I knew one of them was dead, and I had loved them all the same. There wasn't a single one of them I wanted alive more than another, except maybe Andy, but he would always hold a special place in my heart. He was my first love, and I always wondered what would've happened between us if I had been able to return to Seattle.

I sat down next to my mom, and she wrapped her cold, hard arms around my shoulders, pulling me closer to her body. Dad sat on the other side of me and placed a gentle hand in one of my. I held on for dear life.

"Your friend, Laura, was found dead in her apartment tonight." Dad said slowly. "Cassie, Nathan, and you friend, Diane found her. Cassie is positive it was a vampire attack. The poor girl was violated and drained of blood. Cassie saw the bite mark and smelled a…"

Dad kept talking, but it just sounded like a jumble of words in my head. Laura had been raped and killed by vampire. The disgusting irony of her last minutes was enough to make me want to puke. Laura Anderson had spent a good majority of her teens being sexually abused by her stepfather. She refused to tell anyone, except the Circle—and we were sworn to secrecy—about it.

Cassie told me that she had only told her mom about it a few months ago. He mom hadn't believed her, so she moved out and didn't tell anyone except Diane Mason where she had moved to. Had the vampire who attacked known about her past? Or was it just a coincidence? And why did the vampire attack her of all people?

"I don't understand." I said cutting Dad off and wiping my tears with my free hand. "Why Laura? I mean, there are so many other people in Seattle. Please tell me it is a coincidence?"

I knew the answer to that before the question even left my lips. Dad had told Sam that he wouldn't allow any more of my friends to die. It had to mean that they were being targeted for whatever reason. But why? I didn't understand. My friends would never do anything to hurt anybody. And they had no reason to get involved in vampire affairs. It didn't make any sense.

"It wasn't." Mom answered, squeezing me a little tighter.

"How do you know?" I asked. "Did they catch the vampire or something?" Perhaps if Cassie had gotten there soon enough, she would've been able to catch him, question him, and kill him.

"No." Mom shook her head. "Unfortunately, he's still out there."

My heart stopped at those words as I looked between them. If Laura's attack hadn't been a coincidence and the vampire was still out there, my other friends were in danger.

"So the others, the rest of my Circle, are they in danger?" I asked, trying to keep my hysteria under control. I would not lose it before I had the full story. I had to keep it together in order to get every detail. Once I completely understood everything, I could break down. Until then, I had to hold it together.

"We can't be sure." Dad answered. "The vampire left Cassie a message on Laura's computer." 

"What did it say?" I asked, not sure if I really wanted to know or not.

"I know what you are, and I know what your friend, Melanie, is. Bring her to me, or Laura won't be the only one of your friends to die this way. The name at the bottom not at the bottom of the note was Mike Mickens." Dad explained.

That answered a lot of questions, but it opened up so many more. If Mike had been the one to kill Laura, of course, he would've raped her. Raping her was his favorite pastime, after all. Yet, I had met Mike on several occasions, and so had Cassie. They had never been any indication that he was vampire.

"But Mike's not a vampire." I said, shaking my head in disbelief.

"How do you know?" Mom asked, rubbing gentle circles into my shoulder. I knew both she and Dad were waiting for my breakdown, and I was getting close to giving it to them. I just needed to understand a few things before I could fully give into it.

"Mike Mickens is Laura's stepfather." I explained. "Cassie and I had met him on several occasions after we became friends with Laura. Cassie's werewolf genes would've reacted if he had been a vampire. True, I wouldn't have known, but if her first transformation didn't happen until she was exposed to Dad and Jane, then he wasn't a vampire back then."

"The change must have been recent then." Dad said. "His connection to Laura might've been why he went after her first. But I don't understand why he would rape her, if he was just going to kill her."

"It's his favorite pastime." I said in with no emotion. I hated explaining it like that to them, but I didn't know how else to make them understand it.

"You mean he sexually abused her." Mom asked.

"All the time." I said swallowing the lump in my throat. "The Circle knew, but she wouldn't let us tell anyone. She didn't want to hurt her mother. When it all finally came out a year ago, her mother didn't believe her anyway, so she moved out. She thought he wouldn't be able to find her."

"It might be why he made the change." Dad suggested. "If being a vampire would help him locate her, he would've done it."

"But why threaten the rest of them?" Mom asked in her calm and rational way. "If Laura was the one he wanted. Why threaten to go after the others? And what does Mel have to do with it?"

She was asking all the questions that I should've been asking myself, but I was still stuck on the unbelievable idea that a vampire was targeting my friends. It just didn't make sense to me. I had always thought someone was pissed off about what my family did five years ago, but if they were going to seek revenge, we take such a roundabout method. Why not just confront us directly?

"He might not be doing it on his own." Dad answered. "He could be working with the person who turned him. The coincidence would be that whoever's in charge found someone who wanted one, maybe more of Mel's friends dead." 

It was true. Laura had been number one on Mike's hit list, but he wouldn't mind seeing a lot of my other friends dead. They had stuck up for Laura on numerous occasions and did everything in their power to keep him away from her, especially Diane. Diane had been Laura's best friend, and she wasn't afraid to stand up to Mike. She even spit in his face a couple of times. She would definitely be next on his list of friends to kill if Cassie didn't give him what he wanted.

"Okay, but that doesn't explain how what my baby girl has to do with it." Mom insisted. "She hasn't even been in Seattle in five years. No one's supposed to know she's still alive. And what does he mean, I know what Melanie is? She isn't anything but a teenager with her whole life ahead of her."

"Maybe not." A new voice said.

We all turned to see Grandma Esme return with Granpa Carlisle, Aunt Roxy, and Uncle Jasper. I found myself wondering where Aunt Alice and Uncle Damon were. This was an important family discussion, after all. They weren't ones to miss this kind of thins, considering they could give us the most insight. Hell, Damon could probably tell us exactly what was happening and why, along with an explanation of every possible outcome. Why hadn't they returned from hunting with the others?

Grandpa Carlisle had been the one to speak, and as the others sat in various places around the room, he came to stand in front of Mom, Dad, and me.

"What do you mean?" Mom asked, pulling me closer to her.

"Remember five years ago when I told you that Mel is immune to vampire venom." Carlisle asked. Mom, Dad, and I nodded. It wasn't something that I could forget, considering I had been bitten by Aro, leader of the Volturi, but hadn't made the change into vampire. "Well, I imagine with the right kind of experimentation, her blood would hold the key to curing our condition."

"Are you saying that I could cure vampirism?" I asked unable to believe it.

"Possibly." Carlisle continued. "It would take extensive experimentation that would probably end up killing you."

"But it would make this vampire leave me friends alone, right?" I asked.

"NO!" Mom practically yelled, pulling me closer to her—something I didn't think was possible. "Don't even think about it, Mel. You are not going to hand yourself over to a vampire just to save your friends. I won't let that happen."

"So what?" I asked, pulling away from her. "You're just going to let him keep hurting and killing my friends so you won't have to lose me."

"Of course, not." Dad said, putting a hand on my shoulder. "We'll just have to find another way to stop them without handing you over."

"Exactly." Carlisle said. "That's why I've made arrangements for Damon, Jasper, Edward, and me to go to Seattle first thing in the morning. We will investigate the situation and deal with the vampires responsible, while keeping your friends safe from harm. The rest of you will stay here."

"No way." I said, standing up. "I'm going to Seattle with you. I need to be there." 

"It is still too dangerous." Dad said before Carlisle could answer. "If one of your friends recognizes you, it could expose us all and get you in a lot of trouble." 

"It is a risk that I'm going to have to take." I argued.

"It's not just the risk of exposure, Mel." Aunt Roxy spoke for the first time since entering the room. "If we take you to Seattle, it's possible the vampires looking for you, will recognize you. If they got their hands on you…"

"Then my friends would be safe." I said with a shrug. It wasn't the reason I wanted so desperately to go with them, but it was as good an argument as any. At least, it sounded like it to me. I should've known better than that, though.

"You are not going to get yourself killed trying to play the hero." Dad growled. "You almost died because of vampires once I will not let it happen again, no matter what the cost."

I glared at him crossing my arms over my chest. I wanted to yell at scream at him. I wanted to tell him that he wasn't my real father and had no right to tell me what I can and can't do. I wanted to tell him that I was an adult and could make my own decisions, but I didn't get the chance.

"I think we need to hear her out on this, guys." Uncle Jasper said from the corner he was standing in. "She feels very strongly about it, and I don't think it has anything to do with playing the hero."

As he spoke, I felt waves of calm intruding on my anger and gave Jasper a nod of thanks. Getting mad and yelling wasn't going to get me to Seattle. I had to calmly explain why I wanted to go like the adult I was.

"I know it is dangerous for me to go for so many reasons, but I need to be there when Laura is put to rest." I explained. "I've told you guys as much as I can about mine and Cassie's Circle. In fact, there's very little you don't know. We are like our own little family, and this is the first time we've lost a member to death. I need to be there for them, even if they can't know it's me. I need to be there for Laura.

"She's been my friend since we were eleven, and I've been keeping her secret since we were twelve." I swallowed hard as I remembered all the things Cassie and I had been through with Laura. "Cassie and I were the ones who took her to Planned Parenthood when she found out Mike had gotten her pregnant. We sat in the waiting room while she was getting the abortion, and we held her as she cried when it was over. We took her back to my place for movies and junk food. I refused to let her go home until she was completely healed.

"We've been through so much together, some of it forcing us to grow up faster than we should've, but it didn't matter. We always had each other's backs, and I'm not going to stop now, just because she's dead. I need to be there for the services. I need to be able to tell her that I'm still here, and that I never stopped thinking about any of them."

I swallowed hard as sobs threatened to escape. _"Just keep it together for a few more minutes." _I told myself. As soon as they agreed to let me go, I would be able to break down. I just needed to get them to agree.

Mom sighed and held her hand out to be. I imagined she would be crying if she could.

"Baby, I understand, and I'm so sorry for what you've lost. I'm sorry your friend had to die, and I'm sorry you had to leave the others behind, but taking you to Seattle is a risk we can't take. I'm sorry."

"Mom, please." I begged. "I need to be there." Tears were spilling down my cheeks again as I fought to keep it together. I understood that she wanted to protect me, but this was something I thought was important enough to merit the risk. I just wish I could make her understand.

"She's right, Bella." Uncle Damon's voice came from just inside the sliding door that led into the living room. He and Aunt Alice had finally decided to join us. "She needs to be there, if only for her own piece of mind."

"No." Mom insisted. "It is not worth the risk." 

"Bella, listen to them." Aunt Alice said, calmly walking over to Mom and putting a hand on her shoulder. "Mel need to go. I promise she will be alive, healthy, and a lot happier when it is over."

"You can't tell me that without a doubt." Mom argued, shrugging Alice's had off her. "I just found her after fourteen years of being without her I am not going to lose her after only five." 

"Alice may not be able to guarantee her safe return, but I can. I promise you, Bella, no matter what happens in Seattle, Mel will come out of it just fine." Damon said, moving to stand beside me. "I wouldn't say it, if I wasn't absolutely sure. She will be fine." 

Mom sat there for a long moment just staring at me. I knew she was in a difficult stop. She didn't want to take the risk of anything bad happening to me, and I understood that. However, she had the two psychics of the family telling her everything was going to be okay. She couldn't argue with them, especially Damon. He knew everything that was going to happen at any given time.

"Two conditions." She finally said. "One you are to disguise yourself a little more. I want you to wear a pair of nonprescription color contacts, and maybe some glasses. And I will help you straighten your hair every day. I know it won't do much, but it will make me feel better. I think you've grown up enough in the last five years to make you harder to recognize."

"What's the other condition?" I asked. Changing my appearance wasn't a big deal for me. I had long since been able to find Melanie underneath Melissa. A few more changes weren't going to hurt me, and it would be worth it to go to Laura's funeral.

"A member of this family or a werewolf must be with you at all times." Mom answered. "We don't have to be right on top of you, but close enough to get to if there is any danger."

It was an annoying condition, but I could live with it. Besides, I wasn't sure how I would react to being in Seattle again with vampires after me. Having a guard might make me feel a little safer.

"Done." I said, wrapping my arms around her. "Thank you, Mom." I whispered still choking back tears. "You have no idea how much this means to me."

"Just don't let anything happen to yourself." She whispered back.

"I won't." I told her.

"I guess, I will go change our flight arrangements." Carlisle said. "And you should probably get some sleep." He added to me before he walked out of the room.

"He's right." Dad said, squeezing my shoulders. "These next few days are gonna be exhausting." I nodded as I pulled away from Mom. "Do you want someone to sit with you until you fall back to sleep?"

"No." I shook my head. "I just need to be alone for a while."

"Okay. Goodnight, then." He said. "And I'm really sorry about your friend."

"Thanks." 

I gave each of my family members a hug before heading back to my room. I shut and lock the door, but rushing to the bed and allowing myself the break down I had been fighting since the moment Dad told me Laura was dead.

**A/N: What do you guys think? I know its long, but I wasn't sure how much backstory to put in. I hope you like it though. Please review. **


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